Fronteira: Rio Grande, Waterfalls and Handicrafts

Fronteira brings together the Rio Grande and waterfalls, planned urban infrastructure, local handicrafts and cultural events. When choosing what to focus on at your destination, you can prioritize different aspects: nature, the townscape, handicrafts or history.

Getting There and the Townscape

Fronteira is accessible via paved highways; the main access route is the Transbrasiliana BR-153. This highway is a key landmark for getting there. Fronteira is one of the region’s few planned municipalities, with broad, tree-lined avenues and planned urban infrastructure. The townscape offers a distinct point of reference alongside the river and landscape. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider the town’s urban character as a focus in its own right, alongside water-based activities.

River Landscape and Activities

The Rio Grande runs through Fronteira and offers opportunities for sport fishing and kayaking. At Cachoeira do Domingão, water flows over a rock face into a large swimming pool. Rappelling is offered at Cachoeira do Monjolo under the supervision of qualified professionals; check the current arrangements before your trip. When weighing up the activities, the difference lies in their nature and location: river activities on the Rio Grande, on the one hand, and supervised rappelling at Cachoeira do Monjolo, on the other.

Handicrafts and Town History

Casa do Artesanato de Fronteira is a cultural space featuring local handicrafts made using traditional techniques passed down through generations. In addition, since 2005, the Associação dos Artesãos de Fronteira has showcased handicrafts made on traditional hand-operated looms from Minas Gerais. Casa do Artesanato focuses on the cultural space and techniques passed down through generations; the Associação dos Artesãos produces handicrafts on traditional hand-operated looms.

Bernardão is a symbol of the town of Fronteira and is associated with the town’s founding in the early 1940s. Visitors view Bernardão up close and take photos there. This symbol thus brings together a connection to the town’s history and a specific visitor experience. Fronteira was planned with the aim of attracting tourists because it had several waterfalls on the Rio Grande. This planning intention connects the earlier tourism objective with the river landscape.

Market, Events and Local Production

The Feira Livre is a major tourist attraction in Fronteira. Folia de Santos Reis is one of the town’s cultural events. Beernardão is a beer made by local residents using artisanal methods.

Minas Gerais in a Broader Context

Minas Gerais has 94 protected areas safeguarding almost 2 million hectares across the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga biomes. Tourism is established in 17 of the state’s nature parks. Across the state, travelers can experience cultural and historical heritage, nature and gastronomy. Bell-ringing craftsmanship and the artisanal production of Minas cheese are also recognized as Brazilian cultural heritage in Minas Gerais.

Discover more destinations: Border, Brumadinho, Itaguara, Brasilândia de Minas, Piranguçu, Pedro Leopoldo, Água Comprida, Peçanha.

For the broader travel overview: Minas Gerais.